Survey
of the English salt officers, south and eastern collections, by the Excise
Surveyor General, 1749
An
Extract covering the Wight Isle Collection
1st Division |
|
Freshwater |
Freshwater Saltern |
3 Panns |
Richard Moore, Proprietor
This Work is Situated on the West Side of the
Freshwater River, & has a Dock for Lighters to come up behind the Cribbs
& is Extremely well Contrived for Running, it is under the Care of an
Officer & 2 Watchmen. |
2nd Division
|
|
Yarmouth |
Yarmouth Saltern |
2 Panns |
Robert Munt, Proprietor
This Work is Situated near Yarmouth and is at
Present under the care of an Officer & 2 Watchmen, but I am of the
Opinion that the Officers place here may be Sunk & by allowing Alexander
Statham 10£ per annum in Incidents for doing Officers Duty, for
which he is very well Qualified, a Saving may be made of 38£ per annum,
and the Works very Sufficiently Guarded |
3rd Division |
|
Hamstead |
Hamstead Saltern
Samuel Todd, Proprietor
Hamstead Middle Saltern
Samuel Todd, Proprietor
Hamstead Great Saltern
Samuel Todd, Proprietor |
2 Panns
2 Panns
4 Panns |
These Work are Situated on the West Side of
Shalfleet Creek, & are under the Care of an Officer & Two Watchmen. |
4th Division |
|
Shalfleet |
Shalfleet Saltern |
4 Panns |
Sir James Worsley, Proprietor
This Work is Situated on the West Side of Shalfleet
Creek, & is under the Care of One Officer & One Watchman, there has been
no Salt Delivered here since last March & then only 10 Tons. The
Proprietor has now there between three and four hundred Tons in his
Cribbs. |
5th Division |
|
Newtown |
Marks great Saltern
Jacob Marks, Proprietor
Day’s Saltern
Stephen Day, Proprietor
Hick’s Saltern
Messrs. Hicks and
Marks, Proprietors |
4 Panns
4 Panns
2 Panns |
These Works are situated upon Newtown Marsh & are
under the Care of an Officer & two Watchmen.
|
6th Division |
|
Elmsworth |
Elmsworth Saltern
Sir John Barrington,
Proprietor
Elmsworth Little Saltern
Sir John Barrington,
Proprietor |
5 Panns
2 Panns |
These Works are situated on the East Side of
Newtown River and are under the Care of an Officer & 2 Watchmen. I am of
the Opinion that one Watchman may be saved, and the Works Sufficiently
Guarded, as the Proprietor is above the Temptation of Fraud, and I am
also told, that he will Consent to have locks put on his Cribbs. |
7th Division |
|
Thornefs |
Thornefs Saltern
Henry Main, Proprietor |
2 Panns |
This Work is Situated on the South Side of the
Point that forms Thorney Bay & is under the Care of an Officer, who Acts
as Watchman, he lives above a mile from the Works, there being no House
to be got nearer, at Present, nor is there any place to shelter himself
in, when the weather is Severe, unlefs the Proprietor permitts him to
come into the Works, which must necefsarily make him give Lefs
attendance to his Duty. |
8th
Division |
|
Cowes |
Cowes Saltern
Stephen Day, Proprietor |
3 Panns |
|
This Works is Situated on the West Side of Cowes
harbour, the Proprietor has a Cribb Opposite to his Works, at the Back
of which there is a Dock, big enough to receive a Sloop of 30 Tons, &
which can come within 6 feet of the Cribb, where there is a Door way
out, but at present is fastned up with a few Boards, this Cribb is
almost full of Salt & the Proprietor may, with great Ease, Runn the Salt
from thence, tho’ the Officers are never so Carefull, their Work is
under the Care of 1 Officer & 2 Watchmen. |
9th Division |
|
|
Nettleston Saltern
James Kirkpatrick,
Proprietor |
3 Panns |
This Work is Situated in Nettleston
Bay,
Open to Spithead, and is under the Care of an Officer & a Watchman. I
have seen the Proprietor, who is willing to Build a House for the
Officer adjoining to the Works for 5£ per annum & will allow his Cribb
to be Locked up & I then think
the Watchman may be Sunk.
|
This Collection contains Fourteen Salterns containing
Forty Two Panns belonging to Eleven Proprietors and are all Situated on the
North Side of the Island & Extend above 20 Miles in a Direct Line from
Freshwater Saltern to Nettleston Saltern, but when the Collector makes a
Survey of all the Works he Cannot (in his Round) Ride lefs Than Sixty Miles.
I Examined all the Beams & Weights in the Collection, which are very
just, but the Beams are much Worn & I imagine that they will not serve above
another Year. A small standard Beam is much Wanted. The Boat at Newtown is
very Old & Decayed & altho’ it has been repaired Twice since May 1748 yet
she is now in so bad a Condition she will hardly swim. I think she should be
Condemned & a New one Built. There is also great want of a Boat at Yarmouth
& Freshwater, for altho’ the Collector is allowed 2 Pounds per Annum for
going out yet often Times the Boats are all out either Fishing or
Pilateing Vefsells, that it is impofsible to get one, Whereas when a Boat is
fixed there he can Always get men to Rowe it & the two Pound per Annum now
Allowed will Fully Defray the Charge of them; and I think the two Boats may
be Built & Completed For about Eight Guineas, & I am very sure would be very
Usefull.
|
Mr John Browne
Collector a very Carefull Sensible Active Man & takes great care of his
Collection Upon my Arrival I Examined his Accounts & Closed them to the
29th July & the Ballance being Two hundred Twenty three
pounds Seventeen Shillings & Seven pence three farthings. I told over &
found very right; he has only One Bond in his Hands from George
Mackenzie, Stephen Day and John Rofs, for Eight hundred Pounds, dated 6th
May 1749. |
Freshwater |
John Hart Officer, Aged
26, has a Wife & One Child, Employed here about 4 Years a Carefull Man &
Keeps his Books well.
Edward Dove Watchman,
Aged 49, a Widower with 5 Children, Employed at Lymington & here 24
years a Diligent and Carefull Man.
Thomas Wilcox Watchman,
Aged 24, has a Wife & one Child. Employed here about a Year, a Carefull,
Sober Man. |
Yarmouth |
John Smith, Officer
Aged 50 has a Wife but no child, Employed at Portsea & here ever since
the Revivall of the duty, he writes a Very indifferent hand and
complains much of his Sight failing him he is by Profefsion and
Appothecary which Bisinefs takes up so much of his time that it is
impofsible for him to do his Duty as an Officer.
Alexander Statham
Watchman Aged 42 has a Wife & 6 Children, Employed at Northwich
Droitwich Collection & here about 13 years writes a Very Good hand, is
Sober & Carefull.
Joseph Harrington
Watchman Aged 42 has a Wife & 3 Children Employed in this Collection 2
Years & a half an Industrious and Carefull Man |
Hamstead |
Robert Read Officer,
Aged 40 has a Wife & 6 Children. Employed at Portsea, Northwich and here
since the Revivall of the Duty, is much Troubled with Gout, he is also
greatly mended in his Duty and Promises to behave well for the Future; I
find he is got in Debt to the Proprietor which may be Prejudicial to the
Revenue therefore I think he should be removed to some other Collection.
James Naish, Watchman,
Aged 45, has a Wife & 7 Children, Employed here 10 Years a Carefull
Sober Man.
John Sears Watchman,
Aged 46 has a Wife & three Children, Employed in the Collection 17 Years
a Carefull industrious Man. |
Newtown |
William Hook, Officer,
Aged 50 has a Wife & three Children. Employed at Northwich, Sunderland
and here, 3 Years a Carefull Sober Officer.
Joseph Attwell Watchman
Aged 29 has a Wife & 7 Children Employed in this Collection 16 years a
very Honest Carefull Man.
William Danvers,
Watchman Aged 35 A Single Man Employed here for 14 Years, with a Good
Hand and is a Carefull Sober Man |
Elmsworth |
John Vinton Officer
Aged 36 has a Wife & three Children Employed at Northwich and here 15
Years a Carefull Good Officer.
John Edsall Watchman
Aged 41 has a Wife and 4 Children Employed here about 9 months seems to
be a Carefull Man.
Joseph Symmonds
Watchman is at present very ill of a Fever his Collector says he seems
very carefull of his Businefs. |
Shalfleet |
John Withers Officer
Aged 70, seems hale of his Age has a wife and one Child, Employed at
Portsea, Northwich & here for 27 Years is still capable of his Duty at
this Work.
Percival Scott Watchman
Aged 44 has a Wife & 5 Children, Employed in this Collection 27 Years
was reduced from an Officer for ill Conduct, he promifses to be very
Carefull in the Future & has been so ever since he was reduced he writes
a Very good Hand. |
Thornefs |
Richard Davies Officer
Aged 50 has a Wife but no Child Employed, at Northwich Cardigan & here
about Nine Years is a Carefull good Officer bit is apt to be Quarrelsome
with his present Landlord. This Officer lives too far from the Works but
there is no House to be had nearer, I have therefore spoken to a farmer
who’s ground Joins to the Works to Build One for the Officer which he
seems to Consent, but least he should not I have also Spoke to Sir John
Chichester’s Steward & he has promised to write to Sir John whose ground
is very near & over looks the Works & he Believes Sir John will consent
to build One for about 5£ per annum and the Officer now pays
£4 – 5 – 0 |
Cowes |
John Wheeler Officer
Age 50 a Widdower Employed here about 5 Years a Very Honest Carefull
Officer.
John Thorpe Watchman
Age 49 a Widdower with 4 Children Employed in this Collection 17 Years a
Sober Carefull Man who writes an Exceeding good hand and is capable of a
better Employment. |
Nettleston |
Richard Turner Officer
has a Wife but no Child, Employed here about 7 Years A Carefull Honest
Man Keeps his Books very well, he is very willing to Undertake Watchmans
Duty at the Work, if the House I proposed is Built & the Board pays the
Rent for him & give him the Coals & Candles now allowed, this will be a
Saving of 25£ per annum.
Thomas Robins Watchman
Aged 53 has a Wife & six Children Employed here about 17 Years he is
very often Afflicted with the Gout which frequently Obliges him to
Neglect his Businefs otherwise he is an Honest Carefull Man. |
I think this Collection is
Properly taken care of at Present, but I fear there has formerly bin a good
deal of Salt Run from Freshwater Saltern tho’ I hope there is now a stop put
to that, Sir James Worsleys 4 Pann Work has also been very much Neglected &
has not Boiled up one third of part of the Brine it might have done for some
time by which Means & the Great Quantity of Old Salt now Remaining; the
Works in Generall have not Produced much above 1300 Bushells to a pann which
is very much Short of what they should do; I have thought it for the Safety
of the Revenue to Leave the Following Ideas which I think may be of Service
to this Collection –
Rules and Orders to be
Observed by the Officers and Watchmen of the Wight Island Collection.
1st. That when
any Officer of Watchman is Relieved or comes on Duty, he inserts in the
Watch book the time he comes on Duty & who he Relieves Signing the Same, and
also Certifyes in the same book the time he is Relieved & by whom and Signs
the Same.
2nd. That no
Officer or Watchman absent themselves from Duty, on any pretence whatsoever
without Leave, & when Leave is granted they are to insert the Same in the
Watch Book & also Certifye in the same book the Time of their return.
3rd. That the
Officers insert in the Watch Book the Times the Proprietors Begin Boiling
and also the Times they Leave off.
4th. That the
Officers insert in the beginning of the Watch Book a true list of all Stores
belonging to the Revennue.
5th. That the
Watch Houses be Constantly be Kept Locked when the Officers are on Duty that
no one may Know what Orders are given in the Watch book, but those Concerned
in the Revennue.
Wight Isle 21st
August 1749
I enjoyn the Officers and
Watchmen in the Collection to
Strictly Observe the foregoing
Orders & Directions
Henry Talbot
Original Document in the National
Archives ref: CUST 148/15
Customs Cowes Homepage
24
July 2007 |